Don't Waste Time! aka Using The Internet To Your Advantage

"There is a certain elegance in wasting time. Any fool can waste money, but when you waste time you waste what is priceless."  -- Maugham, W. Somerset. Ashenden: Or the British Agent.



I am always on the lookout for extra eggs in my basket. Well, I should say, ways to make money. I think in today's market, you simply cannot afford to only have one avenue to generate money. When I worked as an editor, I also did mystery shopping. After my position as an editor ended, I began freelancing; working as a developmental editor or writer for a variety of clients and companies. I am still doing that.

I also worked several positions at the same time. Since I consider myself an Internet junkie, I believed that I should find ways to subsidize my surfing. Along came online surveys. Since 2004, I have belonged to one group or another, but it was not until 2010 that I put real effort in getting rewards and/or cash from completing surveys. I dropped several because their focus was on me completing the survey and them entering me into a drawing or sweepstakes. By probably 2008, I had received a total of $4 so most of them were dropped.

I searched high and low for ones that provided quicker results. I found Opinion Outpost and Inbox Dollars. I am a member of one more, but it turned out to be slow going, and you must earn $50 before you can cash out. I also spend time on Instant Cash Sweepstakes, but just for the fun of it.

So, AtheTypist, you made any money? Yes, I have. I wouldn't write this post if I didn't. I will now expound on the joys of each, and will list according to favorite and payout.

Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost actually surprised me when I learned I had made enough for a payout. Boy, was I glad to learn that! I had earned $15! It took me over a year. I'd say about 15 months. I joined in February of 2010 and cashed out in April 2011. When it comes to surveys, I found that being single and childless (thank you God for that!) was detrimental to my cause. My other holdback was not being in charge of certain decisions, like food shopping or renovations. If you are a parent and in charge of grocery shopping, Opinion Outpost is for you. The same can also be said for Inbox Dollars. I earned my points through technology and some food surveys.

With Opinion Outpost, I chose to get a Visa card, and I was able to use that money to pay a portion of a bill. And since April, I am only 34 points away from another $15, or I can use my points for $10 off an Amazon order. I also qualify for $50 gift certificate through Restaurant.com. If it wasn't for the $15 payout, I would use it for a crepes restaurant a few towns over. I also like the ease of the Visa card, and everything is processed in one day. Another selling point is when you do not qualify, you can donate ten cents to the Red Cross or play a slot machine game for a chance to win a prize. If you want to try your hand at earning money a quick and easy way, I recommend Opinion Outpost. You can also earn by referring people.

Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars is all about having fun. I play games, read email, and occasionally sign up for offers. You make more money signing up for offers. I would be much further away from my payout if it wasn't for Netflix and passive physical therapy. As I stated in Opinion Outpost's section, my being single, childless, and not the decision maker has been detrimental. So, my next best choice is getting two cents for reading email. I've read over 584 emails since joining in February of 2010.

Recently Inbox Dollars have added tasks and watching video. You complete the tasks for some change, which ranged from a penny to about forty or fifty cents, sometimes even more. I did a couple of tasks but it's not my cup of tea. I've been having fun watching the videos. I played games too. But I've not earned anything. Well, I have but I won't purchase credits to play and put in my credit card information to find out what the points I have generated would garner me. That's not a part of my modus operandi so I am good with playing my favorite games and beating my competitors. I love playing Bejeweled and Big Money, though I get royally trounced on Jeopardy and Family Feud.

I technically haven't gotten my payout because I just earned enough. Inbox dollars minimum for a payout was $25 when I first joined. I got that back in May, only to learn it had been raised to $30. I just got that over the last few days. Right now, I'm trying to get a few more cents, but really, I should just get the payout before they up the minimum again. I hate when that happens. Inbox delivers cold hard cash in a few weeks. They also charge a processing fee of $3. I recommend them, too. You can earn faster if you sign up for a bunch of offers, but I wasn't in that big of a hurry. And you can earn for referrals and people who sign up get $5!

Instant Cash Sweepstakes (ICS)

I recommend Instant Cash Sweepstakes, but it could take you some time to earn the $2. The surveys are easy and you can complete about five every three hours. When I first joined in 2010, I only earned tickets into daily drawings and coins to use to purchase more tickets. My interest severely waned. I joined up again in 2011, and imagine my surprise when I won 25 cents during my first session and I had about 800 tickets and 900 coins! I always earned a few cents each time I played so that kept me coming back. You can cash out at $2 through your Paypal account. I am troubled by the Paypal connection, but I guess it's okay provided Instant Cash Sweepstakes lets me build bank. Otherwise, I'll only make $1.60 off my $2. However, I do have fun completing the surveys. You can also submit your own survey to earn more money quickly. Feh, maybe I will, maybe I won't. There are levels of play, but you will need to browse the website for more information about that. You will also earn from referring people and ICS will give you the same amount they win! Can't beat that right?!

These are my choices for the best so far. I know I have not fully tapped into these ways to earn money. But really, if you are just wandering around the Internet you might as well get some money or perks for doing it. Are there any places I should consider? Tell me in the comments. Don't be shy. Sharing is caring. Even better, sharing is earning!